Appliance frame engagement construction



Jan' 16, 1958 H. T. CARTER ETAL 3,363,948

APPLIANCE FRAME ENGAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 22, 1966 d ATTORNEYS United States Patent ifice i 3,363,948 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 3,363,943 APPLIANCE FRAME ENGAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION Harry T. Carter and Donald J. Hicks, both Iiibrac, Inc., 219 W. 4th, Chanute, Kans. 66720 Filed Aug. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 573,980 7 Claims. (Cl. 306-17) ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLOSURE An appliance connector clip formed of two substantially flat legs. These legs make up a rod engaging groove at one end of the clip and a connecting structure for a supporting member at the other end thereof. The grooved end is formed lby overlapping one leg over the other and curving same upwardly to result in a trough-like structure, A closure plate is slidably mounted on said legs and operates to close the throat of the groove, thereby forming a tubular sleeve around the mounting rod of an appliance when same is located therein.

This invention relates to a mounting element suitable for use with mops, brushes, appliances, power tools and other similarly related articles and refers more particularly to the connector clasp utilized therewith.

This invention is an improvement of the invention disclosed in the patent application entitled, Variable Connector, Ser. No. 482,396, tiled Aug. 25, 1965, inventor Harry T. Carter.

An object of the invention is to provide a frame engagement clasp means having all the advantages of the Variable Connector, supra, including the additional advantage of having an unique means for attaching the Variable Connector to the many and varied types of household and machine shop apparatus which have a mounting rod or bar included therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simpleto-operate, long-lived and inexpensive appliance connector clasp, same being both extraordinarily secure when attached and exceedingly easy to manually detach.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connector clasp of a unique closure plate-rod engaging groove combination, that allows the closure plate to slidably close over the throat of said groove and to be locked so as to preclude untimely openings thereof. It is an important feature of this invention that a resilient clip, with a wide contractable surface, engages a locking notch of the closure plate when same is in the closed or appliance engaging position. This wide surface contact securely locks the closure plate and precludes the above-mentioned untimely detachment or loosening of the appending appliance during use of same.

A still further object is to provide a connector clasp which has a rod engaging groove so located and designed to limit or substantially eliminate the stresses that would normally tend to open the clasp, by forcing the frame rod or bar out said groove against the closure plate during conventional use of the appended appliance.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the instant specication and is to be read in conjunction therewith, an embodiment of the invention is shown and, in the various views, like numerals are employed to indicate like parts.

FIG. l is a three-quarter front perspective view from above, the subject structure showing the unique connector clasp engaged with a conventional mop frame;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. l with a portion of the closure plate broken away to show the resilient clip utilized therewith for locking purposes;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional side view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows; p

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 in the direction ofthe arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5- of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, there is shown and described the subject clasp utilized in conjunction with a mop head-handle connector. The handle engaging member or supporting member of the connector is best seen in FIGS. l-3 and is generally designated by numeral 1t). One end of the supporting member 10 is tubular in shape and hollow for the purposes of receiving therewithin a conventional mop stick (not shown). Tubular portion 12. of supporting member 10 may alternately be a wall bracket, bench or table mounting adapted to support something other than the illustrative mop head.

The other end of supporting member ll@ is forme-d by pressing tubular portion 12 into at conguration and appropriately shaping the said pressed portion into a bearing piece or plate 14. as described in application Ser. N0. 482,396, supra. For purposes of connection with a clamp member, piece 14 is centrally apertured (not shown) and slotted as shown and described in the above-mentioned application.

Clamp member 16 receives the leading end of llat piece 14 between two rearwardly extending jaw or leg portions thereof, 18 and 2t). As best seen from the side as per FIG. 3, clamp member 16 can be constructed from a pair of elongate llat metal pieces bent or formed in substantially V-shape when viewed from the side. Legs 18 and Ztl are crimped together at 22 adjacent the closed V whereby to form a dat, substantially rectangular section hereinafter designated by the numeral 24, same being comprised of upper plate 18a and lower plate 20a.

Referring to FIG. 3, it is seen that upper plate 13a of dat section 24 extends past the forward end of lower plate 26a and generally in a U-shape when viewed from the side, to form an open-throated bar or rod engaging groove 26. This construction affords a great deal of durability and strength to the rod engaging groove portion of the connector clasp. The lower plate 20a acts as a stffener while the operational forces are generally distributed along upper plate 18a and against the sides of groove 26. For purposes of closing the open throat of said groove, the forwardmost end of said elongate plate 18a forming groove 26 extends upwardly past (approximately a distance equal to the thickness of the metal plate) the rearward side of the groove. This upward extension, designated as 26a, facilitates the closing of the open throat to thereafter form a tubular sleeve for engagement purposes.

`Referring again to the connection of clamp member 16 and supporting member 10, legs 18 and 2li are identically apertured and slotted as disclosed in the above application, supra. The aligned apertures (not shown) in the over and underlying legs are to be aligned with respect to the aperture in flat piece 14 and receive the threaded end of bolt 28 therethrough. Wing nut 3@ may then be tightened so that legs Iii and 20 t against the upper and lower surfaces of ilat piece 14 and frictionaliy engage same. To complete the operative assembly, elongate locking flange 32 is positioned between wing nut 30 and leg 18 to permit the variety of alternative positions previously described in the above-listed application.

Continuing now with the discussion of the construction of the forward end of clamp 16, same comprising the uniquely formed and constructed clasp, resilient clip 34 having a rounded and raised lip 34a is riveted at its rearward end portion by rivet 36 to lower plate 20a of flat section 24. A rectangular recess 38, which is slightly larger than the rectangular dimensions of clip 3d cut in upper plate 18a, allows the rearwar-d portion of the clip up to and including the rearwardmost portion of lip 34a when assuming its normal upwardly flexed position, to be located beneath the upper surface of upper plate 18a. This construction results in a rounded lip 34a of relatively great width compared with the total width of flat section 24, being formed of a stiff but resilient metal located for locking purposes above upper plate lirz. In actual practice, it has been found that if lip 34a is approximately one-third the width of the tiat section 24, then said clip is both easy to assemble and presents a substantial locking surface in contact with the now to be described closure plate.

A closure plate itl is constructed to be slidably mounted on flat section 2d and movable between the solid and broken line position shown in FIG. 3. Closure plate 40 includes a pair of wraparound sides 40a and Mib which act as a guide when the plate moves on iiat section 24. As seen in FIG. 4, the horizontally going portion of the wraparound sides bears against the under surface of lower plate 2da while the vertically going portions of the sides Contact the side edges of at section 2li. A locking notch 42 is cut in the underside of closure plate 4t) and is dimensioned to allow rounded lip 34a of the resiiient clip 34 to seat therein when the notch is positioned in communicating relationship therewith. An upturned flange dfi is centered along the rear edge portion of the closure plate and -serves as a means for manually applying forces to the closure plate that will result in the sliding movement of same. In the assembled form, the closure plate, including its wraparound sides 40a and 4ib, frictionally engage the flat surfaces of section 24 in such a manner that rocking or wobble of plate 4t) is substantially precluded. The presence of the closure plate in its assembled form causes clip 34 and more particularly lip 34a to be flexed downwardly within rectangular opening 38 when lip 34a is not engaged within locking notch 42.

For illustrative purposes, the unique clasp is shown as being connected with a conventional mop frame generally indicated at numeral 46. The mop frame includes a mounting bar or rod 48 which is welded to the various support pieces of frame 46. In connecting the frame engagement with mounting rod d, closure plate 40 is moved to the broken line position shown in FIG. 3, usually by placing the thumb on flange 44 and manually exerting a rearward force thereon. When sufficient force is exerted on flange 44, the forward side of locking notch 42 will forcibly contact the fo-rward surface of rounded lip 34a of the resilient clip, thusly forcing the entire upward projecting forward end portion of clip 34- to ex downwardly. Increased pressure to the rear on flange 44 will move locking notch 42 out of contact with lip 34a. When this happens, there is no further obstacle to the rearward movement of the closure plate except for the frictional resistance of the contacting metal surfaces, the latter prof viding sorne degree of positive control over the physical position of closure plate 4t). With closure plate 49 in the broken line position of FIG. 3, mounting rod 48 may be inserted within frame engaging groove 26 through the now open throat thereof. Closure plate du may then be returned to the solid line or closed position shown in the various views thusly effecting a securing engagement thereof. The forward movement of closure plate Ai-t) eventually positions notch 42 directly above the upward flexing rounded lip 34a of resilient clip 34. When in this communicating position and when lip 34a assumes the locked position within notch d2, closure plate d@ will bear against the upper extending portion 45a of groove 26, thereby completely lclosing and locking plate 40 over the throat of groove 26.

When in the locked position, it is important to note that the physical orientation of the various parts help maintain the secure engagement of the mop frame during normal working conditions. For example, `FIG. l represents the conventional working position of the unique engagement. As seen therein, the mop framed will be substantially parallel to the floor with the tubular handle receiving portion 12, bearing piece t4, clamp t6 and closure plate 4d, forming a rigid structure at an acute angle thereto. Since groove 26 is located substantially below the upper surface of flat section 24, the forces causing the back and forth movement of rnop frame engaging rod 48 (and thusly the mop itself) are applied thereto by the forward and rearward inner surfaces of groove 26, respectively. Therefore, little or no force is applied directly or substantially normal to lclosure plate db when in the locked position and untimely disengagement is successfully eliminated.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcornbinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I-aving thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A connector clip construction comprising, in combination,

a clamp member including at least first and second end portions, said first end portion having a pair of substantially flat legs, the second end portion having an open-throated rod engaging groove therein,

a supporting member, said legs adaptable to be connected to said supporting member, said groove adaptable to engage the mounting rod of an appendage appliance therewithin,

a closure plate, said closure plate having two oppose-d depending sides which wrap around and frictionally engage said clamp member, said closure plate slidably mounted on said legs and operable to close the throat of said groove thereby forming a tubular sleeve around said mounting rod when said mounting rod is located within said groove, and

a means for locking said closure plate in the closed position.

2. The invention in claim 1 wherein said groove and said legs are separated by a substantially flat plate, said closure plate slidably engaging said fiat plate and movable thereon to close the throat of said groove.

3. The invention in claim 2 wherein said flat plate is comprised of an upper and a lower plate, said upper plate having said groove formed integrally therewith past the end extremity of said lower plate.

4. The invention in claim 2 wherein said locking means includes a locking notch detined in said closure plate,

a resilient clip atixed to said flat plate and having a lip portion extending above the surface of said flat plate, said lip portion of said clip contacting and engaging said notch when said closure plate is in the closed position.

5. The invention in claim 3 wherein the throat of said groove lies in a plane defined by the surface of said closure plate that has said locking notch defined therein.

6. The invention in claim 4 wherein said closure plate has a projecting flange extending normal to said closure plate, said flange facilitating in the sliding of said closure plate relative to said clamp member.

7. The invention as in claim 5 wherein said lip portion of `said clip is at least one-third as wide as said closure plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,909,713 5/1933 Parsons 306-19 2,134,301 10/1938 Guggenbuehler 306-19 3,227,496 1/1966 Johnson 306-19 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

W. L. SHEDD, Assislant Examiner. 

